Friday, December 17, 2021

Short Fiction – THE “MADE-FOR-EACH-OTHER” COUPLE

 Short Fiction

THE “MADE-FOR-EACH-OTHER” COUPLE

Love Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

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PART 1 – THE “MADE-FOR-EACH-OTHER” COUPLE

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Her name was Nisha.

His name was Aditya.

They – Nisha and Aditya – they were a “made-for-each-other” couple.

Even their names complemented each other – “Nisha” means Night – and – “Aditya” means Sun.

I am not saying this just because they won the “made-for-each-other couple contest”.

Yes – we had a “made-for-each-other” couple contest during the Annual Day Celebrations in our Residential Society – a cosmopolitan gated community in a posh suburb of Pune.

All couples had to participate – and – Nisha and Aditya had easily won the contest.

It was a simple contest.

First – all couples had to walk on the ramp – like a fashion show.

10 couples were selected from this round for the “Question-Answer” round.

These 10 couples were asked 10 questions each – the usual “guessing game” stuff about how well they knew each other – about likes/dislikes, events/dates, etc. – including one “intimate” question.

Nisha and Aditya had won the “made-for-each-other couple contest” – and most deservingly so.

Yes – Nisha and Aditya were easily the best-looking couple on the ramp.

And – to top it all – Nisha and Aditya were the only couple who had each answered all questions correctly – including that one “intimate” question that most couples could not answer correctly.

After Nisha and Aditya won the “made-for-each-other couple contest” – I began to observe them a bit more closely.

And – I saw that – in real life too – Nisha and Aditya were truly a “made-for-each-other” couple.

I have never seen a couple so devoted to each other and in perfect harmony with each other.

Nisha and Aditya were perfectly compatible with each other – in all aspects – and – I felt jealous of them.

One evening – after my evening walk – I stopped by at my favorite café – for a cup my customary “post-walk” cup of tea.

I saw Nisha and Aditya seated at a table.

They greeted me – and – they asked me to join them.

“Are you sure you want me to join you…?” I said, “I don’t want to be a “Kabab-Me-Haddi” and spoil your “lovey-dovey” quality time…”

“Oh, come on, Uncle…” Nisha said, “We two have been together for 10 years now…”

“10 Years…? I can’t believe it. You two still look like honeymooners – both of you look so much in love with each other…” I said to them.

“Thank you, Uncle…” Nisha said.

Their snacks arrived.

Nisha and Aditya insisted that I eat with them.

I observed them – they were truly deeply in love with other – and so beautifully matched.

“I have been observing you ever since you won the “made-for-each-other couple” contest – and – I can easily say that you two are the best “made-for-each-other” couple I have ever seen – I have never ever seen a couple so perfectly in harmony with each other like you two – perfectly matched and totally devoted to each other…” I said to them.

“Thank you, Uncle…” Nisha and Aditya said.

“Even your names complement each other – Nisha and Aditya – Night and Sun – darkness and light…” I said to them.

“Yes…” Nisha said, “Aditya certainly brought sunlight into my dark life…”

 

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PART 2 – SOULMATES

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“Whenever I see you two – I really feel that the two of you are true “soulmates”…” I said to Nisha and Aditya.

“Thank you so much, Uncle…” Nisha said to me.

We were strolling on the expansive lawns of our spacious society garden.

I loved the young couple – and their company – so – whenever I saw them in the garden – I joined them for a walk – or a talk – as it made me feel good.

“It’s dark – time to go home for me…” I said, “you two love-birds enjoy a romantic walk in the dark…”

“Stop teasing us, Uncle…” Nisha said with a lovely smile.

Aditya smiled at me.

Suddenly – I remembered – so – I said to Aditya: “Hey – your “Share Certificates” are ready. You can collect them from the Society Office…”

“Thank you, Uncle…” he said.

“It may be a bit personal – but – I want to ask you something…” I said to Aditya.

“Please go ahead, Uncle…” Aditya said.

“I noticed that you have bought the flat in your name alone. Normally – couples put the flat in both names – with husband and wife as joint owners…” I said to Aditya.

From the expression on Aditya’s face – it seemed that he had not liked what I had said.

So – I immediately made amends.

“I am sorry…” I said, “I shouldn’t have commented on your personal matter…”

“It’s okay uncle…” Aditya said, “I’ll collect the certificates from the society office – thank you for telling me…”

“Bye – I’ll go home now…” I said to Aditya and Nisha.

Aditya and Nisha smiled at me – I smiled back – and – I walked towards my building.

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PART 3 – RELATIONSHIPS

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Next morning – at around 10 AM – the doorbell rang.

It was the “made-for-each-other” couple – Nisha and Aditya.

“Come in…” I said to them.

They came in and sat on the sofa in the living room.

“I can offer you a cup of tea – that’s all – I am all alone. On Saturdays – my wife goes to her mother’s place – she just left a few minutes ago…” I said to them.

“We saw her going in an Uber Taxi – so – we knew you would be alone – that’s why we came up – we wanted to speak to you privately…” Aditya said.

“Okay – speak…” I said to him.

“It’s about yesterday – you asked why I hadn’t included Nisha’s name as a joint owner of the house…” Aditya said.

“It’s okay…” I interrupted him – and I said to him, “I was not proper of me to have asked you that question – it is absolutely your prerogative whether to include your wife’s name or not…”

“No. No. Uncle…” Nisha said, “it’s not that – we want to tell you something…”

“You want to tell me something…?” I said to Nisha, “okay – tell me…”

“We are not married …” Nisha said.

“What…? You are not married…?” I said, dumbstruck.

Seeing the bewilderment on my face – Aditya said to me:

“Uncle – we – Nisha and Me – we are not married – we are just living together…”

“Living together…?” I asked.

“Yes – we are in a “live-in” relationship…” Aditya said to me.

Nisha looked at me – and spoke.

“We haven’t told anyone here – because people over here are quite conservative – and may be scandalized – but – you are the Chairman of the Society – so – I felt that you should know…” Nisha said to me.

“I hope we are not breaking any rules…” Aditya said, with anxiety writ on his face.

“No. No. Not at all…” I said to Aditya, “As far as I am concerned – you are the owner of your flat – and it is entirely your private matter – but – I suggest that you don’t publicize it too much – because – like Nisha said – some people are quite old-fashioned over here…”

“You are the only person who we have told…” Nisha said, “We are not going to tell anyone else…”

“Don’t worry – I will not tell anyone – your secret is safe with me…” I said to them.

During the next few days – I did see Nisha and Aditya once or twice during my evening walks – but they seemed to absorbed in themselves – I did not want to intrude – so – I didn’t join them or speak to them.

Then – we – my wife and I – we left for New Zealand to spend some time with our daughter in Auckland during her winter vacation.

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PART 4 – EPIPHANY

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We had a wonderful stay in New Zealand.

After a few lovely days in Auckland – our daughter took us on a tour of South Island – and we saw all the sights and attractions.

On our way back – we spent a few days at Christchurch – and – we met a “Kiwi-Indian” couple.

They were also in their 60’s – like us – and – we got talking.

They told us that most Indian Migrants to New Zealand live in Auckland but they had settled down in Christchurch – both of them were Professors in the University there – and were citizens in New Zealand – they had migrated from India around 40 years ago – via the student pathway – for higher studies – and then – they had taken up teaching at the University and settled down permanently in Christchurch.

When they came to know that we were from Pune – they asked me where we stay in Pune.

I told them the name of our residential complex.

The moment they heard this – they insisted that we go home with them – and – they took us home in their car.

I was quite curious – since they were not from Pune – but from a Northern State.

We reached their beautiful bungalow – we sat on the sofa.

The man went inside – and he came out with a photo album.

He opened the photo album and showed it to us.

It was the wedding album of their daughter.

I was stunned to see the photo of the groom – it was Aditya.

“This is my daughter’s husband…” the man said, “I think he lives in your residential complex – his name is Aditya…”

“Yes…” I said, “I have met him.”

“Is he living with a woman…?” he asked me.

“Yes…” I said to the man.

“Nisha…?” the man asked me.

“Yes …” I said to him.

“This man Aditya and my daughter – they got married 15 years ago – in Sydney – they were colleagues working in the same office – then – around 10 years ago – Aditya moved in with this woman “Nisha” – she was also working in the same office in Sydney – and – last year – they – my daughter’s husband and this woman Nisha - they moved to India…” he said.

“Your daughter’s husband – Aditya – he has bought a house in our society…” I said to him.

“Oh – so they want to permanently stay in India…?” he said, with dismay on his face.

Can they…?” I asked him.

“They can if they want to – they are Australian Citizens – but they must be having OCI cards – so – they can live in India for as long as they wish to…” he said.

“And your daughter…?” I asked him.

“She is still in Sydney…” he said, “she has a 12-year-old daughter – and a very good job – she is quite well-off financially…”

“Is she still single – or has she remarried…?” I asked him.

“How can she get remarried…? She hasn’t even divorced her husband – this Aditya – who betrayed her…” he said to me.

“And Aditya…?” I asked him.

“Well – Aditya has been pestering her for divorce for the last 10 years – he even offered a generous settlement – but – my daughter doesn’t want to divorce him…” the man said.

His wife – the girl’s mother – she started speaking.

“We told her so many times to divorce Aditya – but she refused – she says that she is never going to divorce him – my daughter is confident that her husband Aditya will come back to her someday…”

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VIKRAM KARVE

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Disclaimer:
1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh. 
2. This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
3. E&OE

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